1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to stenciling apparatus and methods, and more particularly to an adhesive masking apparatus and method for creating stylized images on a working surface.
2. Background Art
Stenciling or otherwise placing designs onto surfaces in a home, office or other building is very popular. For example, it is common to stencil designs such as wild animals, clouds, stars and the like onto walls in a child's room.
A variety of stenciling apparatus and methods are known. Prior art stenciling devices are, however, often complex and difficult to use. The apparatus typically comprise a hand held or adhesive sheet-like device adapted for transferring a positive image of a single design onto a working surface. Such devices are not well-suited for creating designs that cover large working surfaces such as a wall or a ceiling without constant repositioning and alignment of the device. As such, it is common to apply large designs by freehand, which is unduly burdensome and often results in a non-uniform application of the designs onto the working surface. Examples of such large designs applied by freehand are illustrated in the following periodicals: Holiday 1999 pottery barn kids; the January 2000 Better Homes and Gardens; and the March, 2000 Martha Stewart Baby (special issue).
As indicated above, a number of prior art stenciling apparatus are useful for creating single designs, or for creating a multiple designs “one-at-a-time” by repositioning the apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,683 discloses an apparatus that includes a three-layer adhesive sheet adapted to be secured to a work surface for placing a predetermined design thereupon. The construction includes a relatively strong contact adhesive which allows the apparatus to function as a decal or as a stencil when applied to a working surface. In operation, in order to create a design a user must remove a plurality of score lines from the apparatus to define a predetermined design to be transferred to the working surface. The patent discloses the use of a strong adhesive such that the apparatus can be used as a decal, and thus, the apparatus may be difficult to remove from the working surface and is not well adapted for repositioning therealong to transfer designs onto large surfaces.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,261. U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,261 discloses a paint mask and method for masking a work surface wherein the mask is comprised of a first mask layer and a second liner layer. A face of the first layer includes strong adhesive coating with the second layer being adhesively secured thereto. A predetermined design configuration is formed in the mask by discontinuous cuts extending through both the first and second layers. Thus, like the '683 patent, a user must remove portions of the mask to define the design to be applied to the working area. The '261 apparatus is also not well adapted for repositioning or transferring designs onto a large surface due to the use a relatively strong adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,924 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,871 disclose further prior art stenciling apparatus. These hand held apparatus include a surface having a plurality of cut out portions or openings forming a design. These apparatus are not adhesive backed and must be held in position during use. The apparatus are positioned immediately adjacent a working surface whereupon paint is applied to the working surface through the apparatus openings. Like other prior art devices, to repeat a design over large surfaces, the apparatus must be repositioned in alignment with the previously applied design.